C Joe Mauer, Jorge Posada was just never as dominant
1B Albert Pujols
2B Chase Utley Also gave some thought to Jeff Kent
3B Alex Rodriguez didn't start playing third until 2004 but still edges Chipper Jones, David Wright and Adrian Beltre
SS Derek Jeter
OF Barry Bonds
OF Ichiro Suzuki Thought about the criminally underrated Bobby Abreu and Andruw Jones here, but the latter totally fell apart after 2006
OF Manny Ramirez over Vladimir Guerrero and Carlos Beltran
DH David Ortiz
RHP Roy Halladay
LHP Randy Johnson Gets the nod over Johan Santana and CC Sabathia
CL Mariano Rivera No contest, although Trevor Hoffman deserves to be in the conversation
Vlad over Manny is insane. They are in some ways such similar players except that Manny is better at every aspect of the game. Except maybe Vlad's sometimes inaccurate throwing arm. Best since Jesse Barfield. But guess what? Even Vlad was unable to field his position well by the end of the decade.
ReplyDelete"Manny is better at every aspect of the game"?
DeleteWhat game were you watching, dude? Ramirez tended to serve the role of a clown on the bases and in the outfield, whereas Guerrero once came one home run shy of a 40-40 season (2002) and constituted an above-average defensive outfielder over his first ten years, featuring one of the game's strongest throwing arms.
Apparently Steroids was the player of the decade... Manroid, Barroid and ARoid don't belong on this list and never in the HoF! I'd put Pete Rose in the HoF before those cheaters...
DeleteFunny that you say that because I had Manny originally. However, Guerrero was clearly the superior all-around player and won an MVP award, something Ramirez never accomplished. Wasn't quite the elite hitter Ramirez was, but still very good while also providing speed on the basepaths and solid D in rightfield. Plus Vlad did all his damage in a much tougher park for hitters and without the benefit of David Ortiz .
ReplyDeletewithout the BENEFIT of DOrtiz? Ortiz was a dominican legend, but a major league bust until MANNY hit behind him, and protected him. Sure, Ortiz hit the pitches he was thrown, but Ortiz never took off in his career until Manny got there.
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DeleteGuerrero was definitely an elite hitter in his prime: I mean, hell, examine his numbers in 2000: .345 BA/.410 OBP/.664 SLG, with 197 hits, 84 extra-base hits, 28 doubles, 11 triples, 45 home runs, 123 runs batted in, 101 runs scored, and 379 total bases. In 2002, he led the National League in total bases with 364, and then in 2004, he led the American League in total bases with 366. Guerrero hit .330 (rounded off) or better for three straight seasons, and slugged above .550 for the decade's first seven years (and .547 or higher for the first eight years).
DeleteThere's no need to apologize for that selection. Guerrero was an all-around player, whereas Ramirez only consistently cared about hitting and destroyed the credibility of his hitting numbers via his steroids use, anyway.
By the way, that other gentleman was incorrect. First, David Ortiz had not been a "bust" before arriving in Boston, given that in his final season in Minnesota in 2002, he slugged .500 with 20 home runs. But more importantly, when Ortiz broke out in 2003, he did so hitting behind Manny Ramirez, not in front of him, and then of course, Ramirez has not been around for the last five years.
Manny used steroids, end of discussion. Might as well talk argue that Gaylord Perry is one of the greatest pitchers of all time, or Phil Niekro.
DeleteSo are Mickey Mantle, Willie Mays and Hank Aaron not great players because they used greenies?
DeleteAny reason why you didn't break the outfield down by position? That would certainly help Beltran's case
ReplyDeleteIt would but I still think Andruw Jones was probably the better CF for most of the decade.
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ReplyDeleteI have him at third base...
ReplyDeleteYeah, I agree with Manny over Guerrero. Manny had something near a 1.00 OPS in this decade. I think he has to be on the team.
ReplyDeleteHell ... I'd rather have Manny as my DH than Ortiz.
How about eliminating the juicers? If so, then Chipper Jones would have constituted the best third baseman in the game for two consecutive calendar decades.
ReplyDeleteVladimir Guerrero indeed amounted to a better player than Manny Ramirez: he proved similar as a hitter, and then a guy who could help you in other aspects of the game.
Plus, Guerrero did not fail a single steroids test, let alone three steroids tests like Ramirez (2003, 2009, 2011).
My goal was to pick the best players at each position, regardless of confirmed or suspected PED use.
DeleteWhy Jeter at shortstop, Tyler? You yourself have said in another of your posts that Jeter, in spite of his five pieces of metallic leather, is the worst fielding shortstop in history, yet you put him in here? Rather contradictory. What I would've done was put A-Rod at short, and Chipper Jones at third.
ReplyDeleteJeter was a terrible defensive shortstop despite his five Gold Gloves (which he did not deserve) but was still a tremendous hitter and baserunner who hardly ever missed a game. I really like your idea but A-Rod moved off short after '03 so I didn't feel like I should have him there.
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